The Best Things
by Dakota Kid
Summary: Miss Kitty makes a shocking discovery that will change her and Matt's lives forever. Complete for now.
1. Suprise!

Authors Note: As some of you have probably figured out, I am a romantic, I like the candlelight and roses and happy endings

Authors Note: As some of you have probably figured out, I am a romantic, I like the candlelight and roses and happy endings. This story will probably put a few characters out of character but I can't help it. Please consider this an alternate universe type story. Set in the early years of the show. Please enjoy.

The Best Things

Chapter 1: Surprise!

_Miss Kitty makes a shocking discovery that will change not only her life but Matt's as well and she's not sure how to tell him. Of course when she does; they eventually find a way happiness ensues. __J_

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. I just like to borrow 'em once in a while. Ok maybe a little more than once…happy now?

Kitty Russell was sure that her mouth was hanging wide open at the announcement that her physician and friend had just made to her. However, she regained her composure and said to him, "Doc, are-are you sure?"

Doc, his blue eyes twinkling, smiled at his young patient. "Of course I'm sure."

"But-but how Doc?" Kitty stammered still unable to wrap her mind around the possibility that what Doc had just told her was true.

Doc was unable to resist the urge, eyes twinkling, he said, "Well, uh, lets see you're a woman and the last time I checked, Matt, Matt is the other party involved isn't he?" Doc paused and looked at her. When she gave him a look that asked if there was anyone else, he continued, " Matt is a man, and I think you can figure out the rest on your own young lady."

Kitty turned ten shades of red and before getting a little angry that Doc even had to ask if Matt was the other party involved. "Of course Matt is the other party involved! Why Doc, you shouldn't have even had to ask that!"

"I'm sorry Kitty. I couldn't help but tease you a little." Doc said. It hadn't been nice of him to tease but he had been hoping to ease the tension a little, get her to smile. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Kitty picked up her handbag and looked down, "No. Doc, if anyone comes lookin' for me would you tell them that I went to be alone for a while?"

Feeling sorry for the girl standing before him, Doc nodded and said, "Yes honey. I think you need time to think a while and get used to how things are going to be." He wanted to add, "And to figure out what you're going to say to Matt."

"Yes Doc. I do. Kitty said with a small smile. "I'll see you later Doc."

Doc watched Kitty as she slowly made her way down his steps and down the boardwalk toward the south end of Front Street. Doc hoped that things would turn out for the best for Kitty and for Matt.


	2. Tough Decision

Best Thing In the World 2- Choice to Make

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

Kitty walked down Front Street until she reached the outskirts of Dodge and then continued out into the prairie until she came to the lone tree that stood there. It was there that she sat down and first allowed herself to spill out all the emotions that she had had coursing through her since Doc had given her the news. Emotions that ranged from elation to fright to anger and back to elation and fright. She was elated because she had reserved herself to thinking and accepting that this day would never come and if she was truthful with herself it was something that she wanted with Matt, but on the other hand she was frightened because she wasn't really sure how Matt would react when she told him. He always told her that they never needed explanations so subjects like babies certainly never came up and Kitty knew how strongly Matt felt about his job and having a home and family with that job. That was enough for her to know that when she told him that things probably wouldn't be all sunshine and smiles. Then there was the anger, anger at herself for not being more careful, for allowing herself to get into this position in the first place. She knew girls who had gotten into this situation and it had turned out ugly, they'd been run out of town and left alone to raise their children.

Shaking her head she felt the tears begin to fall, salty and hot as they left tracks down her cheeks. Her hand slowly moved to her still flat abdomen and she softly caressed that area. What was she going to do and how in the world was she going to tell Matt? In the nice thoughts running through her mind, Matt would be happy and he would wrap his arms around her and everything would be alright. In the not so nice images her mind was conjuring up Matt was angry at her, blaming her and accusing her of getting herself into this position to capture him. To force him to marry her. It was that scenario that scared Kitty the most. Pushing herself up, she slowly walked back into Dodge.

Matt Dillon had been looking forward to seeing Kitty all afternoon. She hadn't been feeling well and Matt knew that she had been going to see Doc what was wrong. Of course Matt had been worried about her too but he had been patient and now as the sun was setting he was looking forward to seeing her when he stopped at the Long Branch. He was just about to go over there when his assistant Chester Goode showed up in the office. "Oh, evenin' Mr. Dillon. Say I was just wonderin' if you would like to go over to the Long Branch and have a beer with Doc and me."

"Don't mind if I do, Chester. I was just headed that way anyhow."

Chester grinned and the pair went out the door. The tall lawman slowing his pace to keep up with the slower man. Once they reached the Long Branch they found a smaller crowd and Doc sitting at the back table. Matt was sorely disappointed to see that Kitty was not there. After making their way to the table, Matt greeted Doc and then sat down heavily. "Say Doc, how is Kitty? I haven't seen her all afternoon." He said casually. He had expected her to come and see him after her visit with Doc to let him know that she just had a case of the flu or something and that she would be ok.

Doc looked up towards the rooms above the main floor of the Long Branch before answering. "Well, I think she'll be alright Matt. It's nothing to worry about." He said swiping at his mustache and pulling at his ear. He didn't want to even hint at what the younger man would probably learn tonight when he and Kitty were alone. It wasn't his place.

"Wal, were is she then Doc? I thought she'd come on down and have a drink with us." Chester asked, leaning back in the chair, accepting one of the beers that Sam had just brought to the table.

Matt stayed quiet but let his eyes wander up the staircase while his mind ran in circles, asking him a million different questions.

"I don't know Chester!." Doc grumped at the younger man. "If-if Kitty wants to come down, then she'll come down or out of the back room or from wherever she's at right now."

Kitty had since returned to her rooms at the Long Branch and was now standing in the middle of the main room. Absently running a hand over her abdomen she looked about her, this would not do, not if she was going to raise a child. Raise a child, Kitty wanted to laugh at that thought. Did she really have any business being a mother? It wasn't as if her own mother had been any great example for her to follow.

Kitty stayed in her room, not really wanting to talk to anyone or about why she had been feeling so unwell and she knew if she stepped a foot into that bar room downstairs that everyone would assult her with questions about her health. Questions that she did not want to answer right now or maybe ever. Besides she had plans to make, plans that included finding other living arrangement. She couldn't, _no_, wouldn't raise a child in the Long Branch, she would continue to own it and even run it but her child would not be raised in a saloon.

She laid down on the seatee and began to run over in her mind all the vacant properties in Dodge that she could buy. She wanted a house with a front porch and maybe even a fenced in yard. Someplace that would be a home for her and her little one when it came, a place where that little one would be safe from the gambling, drinking and brawling of her current residence. Someplace that even if Matt chose not to stay in her life, he could be welcome to spend time with is child.

There was Matt in her thoughts again, while not unwelcome, Kitty found that it was hard to think about him right now. Especially when she didn't know what she was going to _do_ about Matt at the moment. She wanted to tell him right away, let him have the whole next seven months to get used to the idea that he was going to be a father and the other part of her wanted to run. To get the hell out of Dodge and hide away for the next seven months until the baby was born and then tell Matt but she knew that, that was the unfair option and the easy way out.

Blowing out a breath she sat up from where she lay and began to think about her and Matt's relationship. Seven wonderful years they had been together, and Kitty knew on her side of things, loved as well. Shaking her head, Kitty knew that thinking that way was unfair to Matt, she knew that in his own way Matt loved her, he didn't always right out say it but Kitty was certain that it was there because she saw it in his eyes when he looked at her or when he teased her and she felt it when he took his arm to guide her down the street and when they made love. Which put her back at her first thought, her and Matt's relationship. The relationship that they tried to hide from everyone because he thought it was safer for her, that it would keep those who wanted to get to him from using her. Well wouldn't this just put a fine kink in that plan? She thought to herself ruefully. She could leave, just leave and not even tell Matt about the baby or leave him a note or something to let him know what was going on and why and then be gone. She knew her cousin Charolette would let her stay with her in New Orleans until the baby was born and then well she would cross that bridge when she come to it.


	3. One Last Time

Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: SEE CHAPTER 1

Matt turned the key slowly in the lock and as quietly as his booted feet would allow him, entered the room. If she was already sleeping he didn't want to wake her up. As sick as she had been the past few days, Matt knew that she needed her rest. He had even decided that if she was sleeping he would just tell her good night and go and stay at the jail for the night to ensure that she got her rest.

He had just stepped into the room when Kitty got up and came across the room towards him. "Hello Matt."

"Oh, Kitty. I figured you'd be asleep!" Matt said, suprised to see that she was still awake given how she had been feeling that morning when he left.

"No. I was waiting up for you Matt, I haven't see you all day."

"Oh!" Matt said, a smile lighting on his lips. "What did Doc tell you this afternoon?" he asked.

Kitty had made her decision and she wasn't going to tell Matt right now, she was going to leave for a while and take the time to think with out Chester, Doc, and Matt around before she made a decision, so she said simply, "Oh I'm fine Matt. Doc said that I would be fine, that it must be a something that's going around. He gave me some medicine for it."

"Oh." Matt said simply. "I missed seein' ya downstairs earlier." He sat down on the bed next to her.

"Ya did huh? Hmm, well maybe we can spend some quality time together tonight?" Kitty asked, seductively running a hand up Matt's arm.

A fire lit in Matt Dillon's blue eyes as he looked into Kitty's face. "That sounds mighty good. So are you sayin' ya want me to stick around tonight then?"

"Have I ever not wanted you to spend the night cowboy?" Kitty asked, giving Matt another seductive look. "But, uhm, cowboy if your going to come to bed your wearin' entirely to many clothes."

Matt smiled and then shucked his boots before he stood and went to hang his gun belt under his hat by the door. Then turning back towards the lovely red head who was already lying in the bed he quickly undressed down to just his underwear. Slipping in between the sheets of the soft feather bed he gathered Kitty into his arms and kissed her soundly on the mouth. "I missed ya today you know."

Kitty sighed, she would need this moment and what was to follow to help her while she was gone to New Orleans. "I missed you to cowboy." She snuggled up next to him, it was going to be a cool night. While the September days had been warm enough the nights were beginning to get a fall chill to them.

"Cold?" Matt asked. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

"Umm-hmm." Kitty said, snuggling deeper into Matt's warm, loving the feel of his hard chest under the cheek. "Matt, do you remember about oh, two months back when we went fishin' out to French Creek?" It had been the last time they had went out together, as the rest of the time their schedules just hadn't meshed well enough for them to get a day away together.

Matt let his mind wander back, eight weeks was a long time in his life and a lot had happened in that time span until it dawned on him, the creek, fishing, or well given their case they were supposed to be fishing and had found another way to entertain themselves instead. "Uhm-hmm. I remember. Why?"

"I was just wondering." Kitty said innocently, running her hand down Matt's hard stomach towards other regions that were beginning to come to life at the thought of their time on French Creek.

"Why you thinkin' about that?"

"Oh I just thought that we could relive that moment." Kitty said.

Matt's response was to growl low in his throat and throw the bedspread over their heads. That he could happily oblige his pretty lady.

Two hours later, a sweat covered Matt Dillon lay happy and sated with Kitty in his arms. Beginning to feel the chill in the room, Matt pulled the blankets a little higher around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight sweetheart." He said.

Kitty thought her heart was going to completely stop, Matt rarely used endearments and when he did it made them so much sweeter. Kitty smiled and fell asleep

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

The next morning Kitty awoke and found that for the first time in a week she wasn't naseous, yet. She smiled as she looked over at Matt, he had one arm firmly wrapped around her waist, his hand resting on her hip, the other on tope of the coverlet that covered the bed. It was amazing that she was awake before him and Kitty used the time to take in the face of the relaxed Matt Dillon. Softly, she kissed a stubbled cheek before untangling herself from his grasp and made her way to the washroom.

Matt woke up when he felt Kitty leave the bed and through slitted eyes he watched her naked form move into the other room. Once she disappeared he fully opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. Another wonderful night in the arms of the woman that he loved, he wondered to himself if he had told her that lately, how much he loved her, cared about her. He was sure that she knew, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell her either.

A few minutes later Kitty came back and slide into the bed beside him. Seeing him awake, she said, "Mornin' cowboy."

"Mornin'. What time is it?" Matt asked, concerned that he may have to get up and leave when all he really wanted to do was gather Kitty up in his arms and go back to sleep.

"About five o'clock. Why, do you have to get goin?" Kitty asked, she leaned up against the pillows propped behind her back.

Matt propped himself up on an elbow and looked at her. "No. You got somethin' on your mind Kitty?"

Keeping her emotions hidden as well as she could Kitty asked, "Matt do you love me?"

"You know that I do, come on Kit, what's botherin' you?"

"You never say it." Kitty commented.

"Oh Kitty, you know, we've never needed explanations but if it would make you feel better, I'll try to make more of an effort to tell you ok, but please know, I love you Kitty Russell." Matt said, he was sitting up now, his face mere inches from her's.

"Good." Kitty said.

She kept her next question to herself until after Matt had pulled his pants on and was standing in front of the basin and mirror having his morning shave. He was just pulling the razor across his jaw when Kitty asked, "Matt, what would you do if I were to ever get pregnant?"

Matt jumped at her question causing the razor to slip and nick him in the jaw. "Jeezus Kitty! Don't ask a man a question like that when's he shaving!" Matt said, dabbing the towel on his shoulder at the bleeding cut.

"Sorry, but will you answer my question?" Kitty asked.

Matt went and sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand. "Are you pregnant Kitty?"

Kitty did her best to look shocked and said, "No. It's just that I got this telegram from my cousin Charolette and it said that she was pregnant and it got me to thinking about babies and such and I don't know it was just a question Matt. Think nothing of it." Kitty said trying to dismiss the subject.

Matt took a deep breath, "I don't know Kitty. I just don't know how I would respond to a situation like that, I guess if it happened I would do the right thing, take care of you and the baby."

"What about your job Matt. Would you keep your badge?"

"No." Matt said it simply, straight forward. His line of work and families didn't mix and he would never leave his family without someone to care for them. He had seen what that had done to his own family as a young boy in Texas, when his father had been killed in the line of duty it had left his mother lifeless and then soon after she had passed as well leaving him alone. No, he could never ever do that.


	4. Leaving Dodge

I'm sorry, I'm sorry everyone but I just couldn't let it all fall together perfectly right at the start…but I promise that things won't go awry for long!

Best Thing In the World 4: Leaving Dodge

After finishing his shave, Matt finished dressing, told Kitty he loved her and then headed back to the jail before Chester awoke. He had already been caught coming in early once by the other man and had to make up a cracker jack of a story about how he had risen early and taken a little walk. The good thing was that Chester seemed to believe it and accept it as truth. However, Kitty's question didn't leave his mind especially the one that almost caused him to cut his own neck with his razor. Could she be? Could Kitty be pregnant and hiding the fact from him? He didn't think that she would hide something like that from him but maybe she was scared and using her line of questioning to feel him out before coming out and telling him the truth. He'd have to be patient he supposed and just wait for her to come out on her own.

After Matt left that morning, Kitty got up and stripped the sheets from the bed. She had made the decision to go to New Orleans and she didn't want to waste any time in getting there. However she was going to have to come up with a story to tell to Matt so that he didn't get suspicious of her motives, especially after her stupid questions this morning.

She dressed and was just headed down to the livery to rent a buck board when she met Doc. "Oh good morning Kitty!" he said hailing her from the other side of the street.

He walked up along side her and quietly said to her, "How's our little mother this morning?"

Kitty gave him a smoldering look before replying. "I'm leaving Doc."

"Leaving! Why when I get my hands on that big bafoon of a Marshal, I'm gonna twist his ear." Doc said.

"No, this has nothing, well ok a little to do with Matt but the leaving is of my own choice." Kitty said defiantly.

"You didn't tell Matt did you." Doc said, knowing from the look on her face that she hadn't. "Do you think that's a good idea honey?" He took her by the arm and began to lead her towards his office.

Once there, he sat her down in his desk chair and gave her a stern look, making her feel like a small child who had gotten her hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar. "Kitty, you can't just run off like this and not tell Matt. Just what do you have planned anyway, young lady?"

Kitty looked at Doc and then down at the floor. "I just need to get way Doc. I need time to think, to sort out my own thoughts and feelings without Matt around muddlin' me up."

"Well don't you think you should at least tell him? I mean Kitty, if you take off, it's not going to be long and your going to showing and you won't be able to keep that little one a secret any longer. Besides what are you going to tell Matt?"

"I know Doc. I don't plan to be gone that long, maybe a month or so. I'm going to tell Matt that I'm going to my cousin Charlotte's in New Orleans, which is where I'll be."

Doc just shook his head, Kitty had her mind made up and nothing he said was going to change her mind at all. "Well let me drive you out to the depot then."

By that afternoon, Kitty had written a note to Matt, packed her things and she was now seated on the train waiting for it to depart. She had tears running down her face and she still wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing but she would sure enough know.

Matt let Kitty's question from that morning dog him all day and it was slowly affecting his mood. Looking at the clock he was that it was a quarter after four, the town was quiet and he decided that he would go over and see if he could ruin a game of soiltare for Kitty. She hated it when he would stand at her shoulder and tell her which plays to make and it was the main reason that he did it. That and the fact that she had a pretty neck and it always gave him a great view of that particular part of her anatomy.

Picking up his hat and buckling on his gun belt he walked across Front Street and stepped up to the batwing doors of the Long Branch. There he paused and scanned the empty bar room all for Sam who was busy wiping down glasses behind the bar. He stepped through the door and up to the bar before saying, "Afternoon Sam, is Kitty around?"

Sam looked up at him and then said, "Oh, hello Marshal. No, Miss Kitty, left on the train this afternoon. I thought you knew. Doctor Adams drove her out there."

Matt smiled at the bar keep and said, "Uh, no. I guess I didn't know that she was leaving. I'll-I'll just talk to Doc about it.

A few minutes later Matt was in Doc's office but the good doctor was no where to be found so he sat down at his desk and it was there that he found the note addressed to him. He knew it was from Kitty, he could tell just from the handwriting on the front. He slowly opened the envelope and was assaulted by the scent of Kitty's perfume. "Where in the world could she have gone?" he said out loud to himself.

He unfolded the paper and read the words that Kitty had written. Calmed he was glad to read that she had just went to her cousin Charlottes to do a little shopping and to help her prepare for her baby. There that word was again, baby. Just what was she hiding from him? Kitty had never said anything before about her cousin having a baby, he was sure of it, and her previous shopping trips she was always gone for a week or two, not a whole month and even if her cousin was having a baby it certainly wouldn't take a whole month to prepare for it, yet again Matt thought to himself, hadn't one of Kitty's cousins just had a baby a couple of months ago? Something was going on, Matt was sure of it, he just wished that Kitty was around to answer some question.

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

Two days later Kitty arrived at her cousin's grand home in New Orleans and it made her think that she was glad that she didn't own something so large. When she bought a home for herself and her baby it wasn't going to be grand, it was going to be homey. Kitty smiled at the thought, too bad it would be a month before she could even begin to look, that was unless she cut her trip short and went back to Dodge right away.

After a fitful nights rest, Kitty went down stairs to be joyfully greeted again by her cousin Charlotte. "Oh Kitty, it is so good to see you again!" the other woman said, a huge smile on her face.

"It's good to see you too Charlotte." Kitty said returning the hug. Then looking about she said, "Where are the children?"

"Oh they're still sleeping. The nanny will get them up later." Charlotte said.

"Nanny?" Kitty asked. "I thought you were going to do most of the raising of your own children."

"I do, but with the new business that Ian and I are starting it is hard for me to be both places at once. Now, enough about me, tell me what's going on in Dodge." Charlotte said placing a cup of tea in front of Kitty and a cup of coffee in front of herself. At Kitty's questioning look at the tea, she said, "It's better for the baby and it will help with the sickness."

"How did you know about the sickness?" Kitty asked, awed at her cousins ability to know what was going on with just a look at her.

"Honey, I've had two babies, I know a thing or two about how you feel right now." Charlotte said.

Kitty smiled at her cousin. "So how did you tell Ian?"

"So back to what's going on in Dodge. How's that Marshal of yours?"

"Fine I guess." Kitty said, trying to dismiss her cousins questions about Dodge quickly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well I haven't seen him since I left." Kitty said. She hadn't told her cousin that Matt didn't know what was going on. But something must have given her away because her cousin cornered her with her next question.

"Kitty, didn't you tell Matt?"

If there was anyone in the world that Kitty couldn't lie to it was Charlotte and now was no different than any other time. "No."

"Don't you think he deserves to know?" Charlotte asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I'm sure he does but I don't think that he is going to be happy." Kitty said, taking a sip of the retched tea. She longed for a cup of coffee.

"What says that he won't be happy? Children are a beautiful thing Kitty." Charlotte said, reaching over and patting Kitty on the hand.

"Because he loves his job and his badge and if he finds out about this baby then he'll have to give them up to take care of me and the-the baby." Kitty said, tears beginning to flow.

"How do you know all this?" Charlotte asked.

Kitty told her cousin the story about asking Matt the questions the morning she left all the while crying and taking small sips of the awful tea that her cousin had placed before her.

When she finished telling the story Charlotte looked at her, square in the eye, "Kitty, you have got to go back to Dodge."

"No! I can't! I will not be the reason for Matt giving up what he loves."

"Well it certainly sounds like he is willing to give it up if the need arises."

"Well he thought I was being hypothetical!" Kitty nearly screamed. Then lying her head down she began to cry again. She had never cried so much in her life but it just seemed that the tears wouldn't stop falling. What was she doing, just what was she doing?

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

Back in Dodge, Matt was in a foul mood. When Doc came back he was tight lipped and wouldn't tell Matt a thing about why Kitty had left in such an all fired hurry to go to New Orleans. "Why can't ya tell me Doc!?"

"It isn't my place Matt, it's Kitty's." Doc said. He hated to see the young marshal so torn up inside but it was Kitty's place to tell him what was going on not his.

Leaving Doc's office after not finding many answers, Matt left and forlornly walked back to his office. Just what on earth was going on? What was Kitty hiding from him and what did it have to do with all the questions she had asked that morning.


	5. Dispair & Drunkeness

The Best Things Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: SEE CHAPTER 1

Matt was in a foul mood the rest of the day, it just seemed that knowing that Kitty was gone and that there was something wrong made his world feel off kilter. After wandering around town, finding nothing to do, he went and sat down in front of the jail. Letting out an exsasperated breath, he again run over in his mind he and Kitty's last conversation. What had he missed? What had Kitty been trying to tell him that he just hadn't understood?

At Charlotte and Ian's, Kitty had finally cried herself out and was now sitting in the window seat of the room that she used whenever she stayed there. All morning her dear cousin had been prodding her, telling her that she needed to go back to Matt and let him make his own decision about what he wanted in life instead of trying to make it for him. Kitty still wasn't sure that she agreed with her cousin though. She knew that Matt Dillon had two loves in his life, his job and her and she just wasn't sure that his love for her was as strong as his love for his job. She had told Charlotte this but Charlotte had again told her that it was Matt's decision to make and not hers. So now she was at the point of if anyone even mentioned Matt or babies that Kitty wanted to scream or runaway. Runaway, hadn't she already done that?

Kitty was lost in her own thoughts when Charlotte reappeared after leaving her alone for much of the day. Charlotte felt bad about trying to tell her cousin how to run her life but she just didn't want Kitty to loose out on what could be a chance for happiness for herself. "I'm sorry about earlier today Kitty." She said coming to stand at her cousin's shoulder as she looked out the window.

Kitty turned and looked at Charlotte, "It's ok. You were just trying to help." She had decided that it would be no good use in her trying to talk Kitty into going back to Dodge and discussing things with Matt, so for now she would give up and instead try another plan of action. Maybe with time she could soften her up some, and get her to go home.

"Still, it's none of my business." Charlotte said again.

"It's ok Charlotte. Like I said you were just trying to help me, I don't hold it against you." Kitty said, reaching to pull her cousin into a tight embrace.

Charlotte kissed her cousin on the cheek and smiled as she stepped out of the hug. "I've arranged for you to see my doctor while you're here Kitty, to check on you and the baby."

Kitty smiled, "Thank you, but Doc Adam's checked me out before I came down here."

"I know but I still think that you should be checked out by this doctor. He's very up to date and I know, I know Doc is one best doctors you know but this doctor here works at the hospital and has made babies his speciality."

Kitty smiled and squeezed her cousin's hand. "Thank you Charlotte, thank you."

After having a boring day, Matt pushed himself up out of his chair in front of the office and wandered over to the Long Branch. Looking at his pocket watch and noting the time he grimly thought to himself that old habits die hard. It was always around this time of day that he would go to the Long Branch and visit with Kitty. Sometimes they would even have a drink or play a game of cards together. Deciding that he would stay on his course, Matt went to the Long Branch.

Three hours later he was in Doc's office. "What a sorry excuse for a US Marshal." Doc quipped. "Your drunk as a skunk Matt! Just what were you thinking anyhow?"

Matt slumped in one of Doc's chairs let his glassy blue eyes rise towards Doc. "Dunno."

"Well I-I suggest you figure it out Mister Marshal. Now I know you're heart broken but Matt, you can't neglect your duties."

Matt wasn't listening to Doc's tirade. "Where'd she go Doc?"

Sputtering, Doc said, "Is that what this is about? Matt, I've already told you, I don't know where Kitty's gone off too."

Matt, stood, swaying, before the Doc. "Ya do too Doc! Ya took her to the train, now I know she visited with ya the day before she took off, what'd ya tell her? What'd ya tell her Doc!"

Doc Adams looked up at Matt, struggling within himself. He had to make a decision, to break Kitty's confidences and tell Matt where she had gone and why or to remain silent and allow Matt to keep falling into the blackhole he had throttled himself into. "Matt," Doc said, starting carefully. "I can't tell you where Kitty went. I just can't."

Matt's eyes were bleary, and not liking Doc's answer he silently stumbled out the door and down the steps. He stumbled his way back to the jail, unsure of what he was going to do or when he was going to do it, all he knew was that he had to make a plan.


	6. Taking Action

Best Things In Life

Chapter 6: Taking Action

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Dodge City was quiet so Matt took the opportunity to take a little walk over to the back side of the Long Branch where he quickly moved up the steps as he had done so many times since beginning his relationship with Kitty and went to her room. There he took out the key that she he given him, running his calloused finger over the scrap of blue ribbon before unlocking the door and quickly stepping inside. The room looked as it always did, neat and organized. Matt knew that it would help him out in his search for answers. He went to the small book where she kept addresses and he quickly scanned the names looking for any that struck a chord with his memory. Finally his eyes lit upon it. Charlotte Dueboux, in New Orleans. Below that Matt saw that Kitty had two other names written there and one of them had just recently been added because the ink wasn't as faded as the other things.

Memories began to flood in upon Matt, sitting down on the bed he finally remembered which cousin of Kitty's had recently had a baby and it was Charlotte. He looked around with the room looking for any letters that may have come but finding none he returned the address book to its spot and left the room. Then he went to his office and was thankful to find Chester.

"Oh hello Mr. Dillon. Would ya like some coffee?"

"Hi Chester. Uh, no thanks." Matt said thinking about Chester's coffee that tasted like dirty socks. "Chester, uhm, I'm gonna be leaving this afternoon for a few days, do you think you can handle things around here?"

"Why sure Mister Dillon. Where ya goin' anyhow?" Chester asked, hooking his thumbs in his suspenders.

"That's not important right now Chester. Now just to be safe I'm going to send a wire to the Sheriff in Hays and have him send his deputy over to help you out while I'm gone." Matt said and then he walked out. He went to the telegraph office sent the telegraph to the sheriff in Hays and made his next stop the Dodge House and his room that he kept there. Walking in it looked the same way it had when he had been there a month ago. He gathered his dress clothes and one other everyday shirt and threw the whole bundle into a carpet bag. Having everything he needed in the carpet bag Matt left the room and went to the stable and rented a buck board. He was sure that he knew where Kitty had gone and he planned on bringing her back with him when he found her.

In New Orleans, Kitty was getting a little practice with babies helping Charlotte take care of her two month old son, Isaac and 4 year old daughter Olivia. They had just put the children down for a nap when Charlotte looked over at her red headed cousin, "So what do you think of children, Kitty?"

"Oh you know that I've always loved children!" Kitty said. "Besides is helping someone else with their kids the same as having your own?"

Charlotte smiled, "No, probably not. You won't know that you have children until one spits up all over your nicest silk dress." She said with a slight laugh. It made Kitty think that she had been the victim of such a thing on more than one occasion.

"If that's the worst I have to expect then I think I can manage." Kitty said, small smile lighting on her lips. She had had her share of dresses ruined— just not at the misfortune of a baby with an upset tummy.

"So have you decided when you're going to tell Matt?" Charlotte asked, turning her dark eyes to her cousin's blue ones.

Taken aback Kitty was silent for a minute, "I don't know."

"Kitty, you can't put this off. Can you imagine how Matt will feel if you don't tell him and then show up with a baby in a few months claiming it's his?"

"I know. I just, I just don't know what I'd say!" Kitty said throwing her hands in the air. "Besides, I would give up the child before I went back to Dodge and let everyone know that I had Matt Dillon's illegitimate child."

"Kitty! No! You're not really thinking of giving the child up are you?" Charlotte asked in horror. She could tell just by looking at her cousin how much she wanted this child whether she knew it or not.

Seeing the horror in her cousin's eyes, Kitty smiled and shook her head no. "You know that I would never do that Charlotte."

On the train bound for New Orleans, Matt Dillon was finding himself with entirely too much time on his hands. Time that was allowing his already distressed mind to approach all options about why Kitty had left. What baffled him the most was the fact that Kitty didn't seem to have any reason to leave, she hadn't been angry or upset? The only thing he could remember was that she seemed a little distant, which was odd but at the time he had given it up to something that was happening with the Long Branch that she was choosing not to discuss with him, perhaps something that needed to stay between herself and her partner Bill Pence.

Getting angry with himself, Matt pushed his hat over his eyes and tried to sleep. Which he did for about two hours, but the whole time he was marauded by dreams of Kitty. Some of them pleasant and others not so pleasant. His mind had even wandered towards the option that maybe she had been kidnapped but he knew that, that was crazy considering that he seemed to be the only person close to her in Dodge that didn't know where she was at or why she went.

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

The next day dawned cool and blustery and as Kitty stood at the window it looked as if rain would be settling in sometime during the day. She had had a fitful nights rest and she didn't know why. She had an idea but she was trying to keep those thoughts pushed away from her mind because she was still at an indecision as to what to do—go home to Dodge and tell Matt the truth or remain in hiding until she could go home and act as if nothing unusual had happened, other than the fact that she had disappeared for a matter of months but that she could deal with, being a gambler and having had her experiences as a faro dealer she was sure she could come up with a convincing story and easily tell it to the whole town without batting an eyelash. But she needed to be honest with herself this morning, she knew what she wanted, knew that she could probably get it too but in order to do that she would have to take away the career that Matt so loved. It was that fact that was making her take pause. This would have been an easy situation if Matt had been a saloon owner or banker but the fact that he was a United States Marshal, and a good one at that was making the decision all the harder for her.

It was mid morning when Matt arrived in New Orleans. He stopped off at the first hotel he came to and took a room and then went about the business of changing his clothes and cleaning himself up a bit. When he had left Dodge yesterday he hadn't even taken the time for things like that he had decided that he best clean up before he went to the home of Kitty's cousin.

After changing Matt stepped out on the street, feeling very out of place among the bankers, gamblers and common citizens of the city with his six-gun strapped on his hip. However, his lawman's mind wouldn't allow him to leave it behind no more than it let him leave behind the badge that was pinned to his vest under his jacket. He checked the address one more time before heading down the cobbled streets towards Kitty's cousin's house.

As he walked he checked out the city, allowing his eyes to take in everything that was going on around him. Then they lit upon a street vendor, selling flower bouquets. Deciding that he should have something with him if Kitty was at her cousins for showing up unannounced he bought a bunch and looking down at them, decided that they were not near as nice as the small bunches of prairie flowers that he occasionally picked for her when the occasion rose.

Matt figured he must have walked about a hundred miles when he came upon the grand house of the Deuboux's. Looking about himself at the green lawns that lay out before the house like a royal carpet, Matt took a deep breath. He hoped Kitty was there and that she had some answers.


	7. Telling Matt

Chapter 7: Telling Matt

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em!

Matt could feel his heart pounding in his hearts, all his senses on high alert as he stepped up to the door of the Deubox home. He wasn't even sure if she was here but the way his heart was thudding in his chest he was almost sure that she was. Slowly, he raised his hand up and tapped the knocker.

Inside the house, Kitty had heard someone rap on the door. She looked about for her cousins maid, Camiel, but not seeing her, Kitty went to the door and opened it. When she saw who was standing there, her only reaction was to faint.

Matt was sure that he looked as suprised as Kitty felt, when that door opened and there she stood, looking as beautiful as always. He had just been about to speak when she fainted and now he was sitting on his knees, holding her head in his lap, hoping the fresh, though humid, air would bring her around and it was where Charlotte found them. She too had heard the door was was coming out of the sitting room, saying "Camil, who's at the..." her words dropped off when she saw Kitty on the floor her head in Matt's lap. "Oh my goodness!" she cried. "What happened to Kitty?"

"She fainted ma'am." Matt said softly, stroking Kitty's cheek. "I figured she'd be surprised but not that surprised."

"Oh," Charlotte tittered like a little girl, "Well, I'm sure you can lift her, lets take her up to her room and let the shock wear off."

Matt lifted Kitty into his arms and was just started up the stairs with her when she came around. "Matt? Matt what are you doing here?" She asked, running her fingers under the lapel of his coat and around the back of his neck.

"Shh. We'll talk after you rest, ya kinda fainted on me down there Kit."

Kitty felt her heart jump into her throat, _had Charlotte told him?_ However her mind was put at ease when he spoke again.

"I guess you were kinda surprised to see me huh?"

Kitty nodded and gave him a weak smile. Noting that they had reached the top of the stairs she said, "You can put me down Matt, I'm not a child, I can walk."

Matt continued to walk and ignored Kitty's comment. "Which room Kitty?"

Kitty decided not to fight with him and said, "The last one on the left."

Matt carried her down to the room and laid her on the bed. "I'm going to go apologize to your cousin, why don't you rest a few minutes and get over the shock of seeing me." He smiled at her and Kitty thought she would melt into a puddle right there. If there was anything that their baby inherited from either of them she hoped it would be Matt's smile. She watched him turn and walk out, closing the door behind him before she got up and began to pace, she was stuck now, there was no where to run and she was just going to have to fess up and tell Matt the truth.

Matt walked back down the stairs to be met by Kitty's cousin, a baby cradled in her arms and a little girl clinging to her skirts. She also had Matt's flowers. "I'm assuming these are yours?" she asked, a bit of humor lighting her eyes.

Matt nodded and smiled, slightly. "Thanks. I brought them for Kitty but I kind of forgot 'em when she passed out like that?" He asked the next question slowly, "Ah, has she been feelin' alright?"

"Oh yes, fine." Charlotte said, running a hand over the dark head of her daughter, who was pulling at her skirts. Then to the little girl, "Yes, sweetheart?" The girl said something that Matt didn't hear because he was to busy looking around the grand house. In fact he was so busy looking around that he almost didn't hear Charlotte. "Mr. Dillon?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you could take Joshua for me."

"Oh." Matt looked at Charlotte and then at the infant. He didn't have much practice with children, in fact hadn't ever really been around them but he swallowed his fear and held out his arms. Charlotte laid the baby there and Matt pulled the little fellow closer to his chest. Then he stood their a little dumbly as Charlotte took the little girl by the hand and lead her to another room.

Kitty didn't stay down to long, she wanted to talk to Matt. He was here and she just wanted to get the whole thing taken care of. She got up and when she come down the stairs the sight before her made her cry. Matt, her cowboy, was standing in the foyer, holding baby Joshua. That sight made her throw away all her cares and concerns and she went down the stairs. "Matt." She said quietly, not wanting to startle him.

"Oh." Matt said, looking up from the child in his arms. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine Matt." Kitty said, dismissing his concern. "You look awful sweet holding that baby."

"I do huh? Well, I haven't had a lot of practice with it, am I doing alright?" Matt asked, trying to be joking.

"Would you like more practice Matt?" Kitty asked, solemnly.

The lack of amusement in her voice took Matt back a little and he just kind of stared at her for a moment. Then back at the baby in his arms, he was just about to say something when Charlotte came back in the room.

"Thank you Mr. Dillon." She said. "Oh Kitty, your up! How are you feeling dear?"

"Fine." Kitty said. Though she wasn't sure that she did.

"Well, I'll take Joshua from you Mr. Dillon and you and Kitty can go and…talk." Charlotte said, pointedly, her gaze hard on Kitty.

Matt handed the baby over and then looked at Kitty. He was just about to open his mouth to speak when she took his hand. "Come on Matt, lets go into the other room and we can talk." Kitty lead him into the other room and offered him a seat, taking the chair across from him, knowing that if she was close to him, she wouldn't be able to say what she needed to. "Matt, I hope you can listen to me without getting to upset about things." She started. When he didn't say anything she continued. "I guess the easiest way to do this is to just flat out say it, Matt, I'm" her voice faltered a bit and she felt the tears coming to her eyes. "I'm pregnant cowboy." She finally got out.

Matt didn't, couldn't move. He just sat, his hands handing limply between his knees as he let Kitty's words sink in. Pregnant? How? "How-how did this happen Kitty?"

Kitty couldn't help it, she giggled, probably more from nerves than anything before answering, "Well I would hope you would know cowboy, since you were there when it happened."

That made Matt smile and put him a little more at ease and he blushed as well, thinking about just exactly had went on to put them in this situation. "Uhm-uhm how long have you known?"

Kitty began to cry then, "Since I went and seen Doc. Before I left Dodge."

"I see. Didn't ya think I would want to know?" Matt asked, leaning closer to her and taking her hands in his. Hers were ice cold and he rubbed them a little.

"I didn't know what you would think Matt. Honestly, I didn't know what I thought at the time. What do you think?" Kitty said, the tears coming harder then.

Matt looked her straight in the eye, blue on blue contact when he replied, "I think you should have talked to me instead of running off and I think we both have some decisions to make."

After that Matt helped Kitty dry her eyes and told her that they wouldn't discuss it again until the next day. Then they went back into the dining area where Charlotte, Ian and the children were preparing for dinner. Looking at her cousin, Charlotte was wondering what had happened in there and she was sure if her cousin wanted her to know that she would tell her in her own time. "Uhm, would you like to stay and have dinner with us Mister Dillon?"

Matt looked at Kitty and she smiled and nodded. "Sure." He replied. It was then that he remembered the flowers that he had brought with him. Shyly he asked, "What happened to the flowers I had with me when I came?"

Charlotte smiled brightly and then said, "Oh, Camile put them in a vase and put them in Kitty's room for her. They really were beautiful."

Matt smiled and looked at Kitty who smiled back and Matt couldn't remember a time that he thought she looked more beautiful than she did at that moment.

After dinner, Matt and Kitty went up to her room for some privacy where they talked about the comings and goings of Dodge over the last few days and she tried to breach the subject of the baby with Matt again. His only response was to tell her that they would talk about it the next day. Finally it came time for him to leave and Kitty asked, "Where are you staying?"

"Oh down town a few block from here."

"Well I can go back there with you tonight if you would like." Kitty offered, running a hand down his arm.

"No thanks Kitty. I think it would be best if I went alone." Matt said looking down at her.

"Alright. Will I see you tomorrow?"

Matt nodded. "Tomorrow we'll finish our talk, after we've both had time to think about things and what we want."

Kitty took the opportunity then to say, "Matt, when your thinking about things, please don't feel that you need to give up what you love for me, just remember that I'm not trying to trap you or force you into anything you don't want."

Matt didn't comment on that, instead he kissed her head, placed his Stetson on his head and left silently. Hands in his pockets, Matt, slowly walked back towards his hotel, his mind whirling as it circled around one main thought, he and Kitty were going to have a baby and he didn't know what he was going to do.


	8. Figuring Things Out

Chapter 8: Figuring Things Out

Disclaimer: See chapter 1 but ya know I don't own em right?

Once Matt reached his hotel he let himself into his room and flopped down on the bed. He had a lot on his mind and he really wished that he was in Dodge so he could go over to talk to Doc's office and talk to the older man. Truth be told Doc was the only other person, besides Kitty, he trusted enough to let down his guard with and reveal what he was really feeling. Letting out a breath Matt sat up and began to get ready for bed, maybe a night of sleep would help clear his mind and help him make some decisions. Hopefully.

After Matt left Kitty was just getting ready for bed, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders when Charlotte came in. "So?" she asked, the concern showing on her face.

"I told him." Kitty said, picking at the quilt top.

"And?" Charlotte prodded.

"He said we would talk tomorrow."

"Well what in the world does that mean?" Charlotte wondered out loud more to herself than to Kitty. "What did you say to him?" Charlotte sat down on the bed next to Kitty, so they could talk much the same way they had as girls.

"I was straight forward and to the point, I didn't dance around the issue, I just told him." Kitty said. "I-I think he's angry."

"Would you blame him for being angry?" Charlotte asked.

"No." Kitty said, shaking her head, "But I am going to be upset if he just clams up on me or if he comes in here and tells me he is quitting his job so that we can get married!"

Charlotte didn't say anything, this wasn't the first time Kitty had told her this. She knew in her heart of hearts that Kitty was very happy about the baby and would like nothing more than if Matt would give up the badge to marry her but she also knew that Kitty was a realist and would never expect that of him either.

The next morning Matt woke early as was his habit and lay with is hands behind his head, finding no reason to get up. He would use the time to think about what he wanted and what he was going to do. Children were something that he had never really thought about. Sure he had talked about them with Kitty but the subject was usually more Kitty talking and Matt listening, the same with marriage, they had talked about that too and as always Matt had told Kitty how it had to be with him. He couldn't committ because of his job, and he didn't want to put her or a family in danger because of that job. It all sounded good until reality pushed its way in and made a man really think. A baby, a son or daughter, a part of him and Kitty, thinking about it wowed Matt and as he lay there he began to think about his life and the whole subject of marriage and family in a different light. Would it be so bad to have a home and a family? Sure he had always told Kitty that those things were not for lawmen but he certainly knew lawmen who had them and with little fear. However, not all lawmen had the reputation that Matt Dillon did either, still, could he make it work? Sitting up, Matt decided he could, if he wanted to. He remember Kitty's last words to him last night and that gave him pause, she wouldn't accept a proposal from him if she thought that he was doing it for her or the baby's sake and as Matt well knew Kitty Russell was a stubbron woman. Shaking his head, Matt knew that he had a lot of thinking to do and not a lot of time to do it in. He pushed himself up and dressed and then left his room, knowing he needed to come up with some sort of idea but feeling at a loss. In the lobby, he saw a man younger than himself and a woman who looked like they were newlyweds from the way they looked at each other. The man standing close and protective and the woman, casting shy glances from the man to the gold band on her finger.

Stepping out on to the street, Matt went in search of breakfast and was happy to find a decent looking café without too much trouble. Stepping inside he was happy to see that it was quiet, just a few men wearing business suits were lingering over coffee and they nodded their greeting at the tall law man as he took a table. Sitting down and looking about him, Matt was suddenly assaulted with the memory of the first time he met Kitty; that had been five years ago and Matt didn't regret a single one of those days. The memory of watching Kitty cross that muddy street made Matt smile and he was still smiling when the waiter walked up to take his order.

An hour later, his belly full and his mind continuing its walk down memory lane, Matt stepped back out on to a much busier main street and headed back towards where Kitty's cousin lived. Meandering along the city streets, Matt looked in the store front windows and kept his pace slow but steady, wanting to see Kitty again but still unsure of what he was going to say once he got there, as he had been the one to make the decree that they would talk today.

Kitty had risen early that morning, as the sickness had taken over her again and now she was sitting out on the veranda sipping tea and trying to calm not only her stomach but her nerves as well. Matt was supposed to be coming that morning and they were going to finish talking about what they wanted to do.

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

Almost an hour after setting out for Kitty's cousin's house he arrived and again knocked on the door. This time the nanny, Camile, answerd the door. "G'mornin' Mista Dillon. Miz Kitty is waitin' out back for ya."

"Thank you ma'am." Matt said. He stepped through the door and removed his Stetson and then followed the nanny towards the back of the house.

When Kitty saw Matt, she stood and came towards him. "Morning Matt." She greeted.

"Morning Kitty." Matt said.

"Would you like some tea?" Kitty asked.

"No thank you Kitty." Matt said, then he gestured towards the table and chairs, "Let's have a seat."

Kitty took her seat first and Matt followed suit. "So…" she said, letting the word hang like a feather on the breeze.

"I don't know Kit. I just don't know." Matt said, folding his hands on the table top and shaking his head.

Quietly, Kitty responded, "I don't know either Matt."

Matt laughed with out humor, "That kind of puts us in a rough position Kitty, but do you remember what you asked me the day you took off, that morning?" Kitty nodded and Matt continued. "You asked me if I would give up my badge for a child and I told you that I would, I want you to know that I stand behind that."

"But what about your career as a lawman?" Kitty asked. "I thought that it was important to you, I mean that's what's kept you from committing to me before." She looked at her hands, which were nervously wringing in her lap rather than at Matt.

"Kept me from committing to you?" Matt asked, forcing himself to remain in his seat, he reached across the table and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "Don't you think I'm committed to you Kitty? Don't you think 5 years of you being the only girl in my life is commitment?"

The tears began then and Kitty remained quiet until Matt withdrew his hand. Then looking down again, she said softly, "Sounds kind of silly when it's said out loud doesn't it. I'm sorry Matt."

"It's alright Kitty. We're both under a lot of stress right now, but we do need to make a decision." Matt said softening his voice and scooting his chair closer to hers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Kitty melted into the embrace and laid her head of Matt's wide shoulder. "What are we going to do, Matt?" she whisphered.

"Well, I've thought some on it, but first I need to know, what do you _want_ Kitty."

"A home, for us and the baby but I want to keep the Long Branch too. It's a big part of my life, even if I'm just a silent partner."

Matt nodded. "Um-hmm, what else?"

"I want to be happy Matt and I want you to be happy too."

Matt remained silent for a moment and then said, "I can be happy doing something beside being a Marshal Kitty."

Kitty raised her head from it's resting place, her blue eyes shining with tears and pain. "Can you Matt? Can you settle down?"

Matt knew the question that Kitty was asking was an important one, so he paused for a moment before he answered then he looked at her and hoped that his sincerity showed through. "For you Kitty I can do anything."

Kitty was jumping and shouting for joy inside, Matt was willing to give up his badge, really give up his badge for her and their child, but outside she remained serious. "What will you do for work then Matt?"

"Oh, I don't know." Matt replied easily, because he didn't. "Maybe ranching or carpentry, but Kitty, uh, I think we need to get something taken care of first."

Kitty looked at him the confusion clearly showing on her face. "What?"

Matt moved his big frame out of the chair with the grace of a much smaller man knealed down on one knee and took her much smaller hand in his , "Kathleen Russell will you marry me?"

Kitty began to cry again and when Matt stood and pulled her into his chest, she went the front of his shirt. Then her voice muffled, she said, "Yes, Matt. Yes, I'll marry you."

Matt smiled and then nuzzled his face into the warm flesh of Kitty's neck. "I don't have a ring for ya, Kit."

Kitty pulled away from him at that comment and gave Matt a speculative eye. "I suppose we could go shoppin' for one cowboy."

Matt smiled at her comment. "Gonna make sure I don't get away huh?"

"You know it cowboy!" Kitty said and laughed.


	9. Diamond Rings & Fancy Things

_This chapter is dedicated to my friend the fluff mongor, Janglyspur. I hope this chapter fills you with happiness my friend._

Chapter 9: Diamond Rings & Fancy Things

Later that afternoon, after Kitty and Charlotte had gotten their fill of crying and planning, Kitty decided that she needed to go shopping. Somewhat grudgingly, Matt had obliged his bride-to-be and now he was walking at her side as she busily window shopped all the fine stores of downtown New Orleans. Walking past a dress shop, Kitty looked in and exclaimed, "Matt! Oh, Matt, we have to stop here!"

Laughing to himself the tall law man stopped in front of the shop and pulled open the door with a smile and a nod. "Ok Kitty. Think this store will have the perfect dress?"

Kitty frowned at him as she trooped past and made her way to begin looking over the dresses that were hanging on dummy forms. She knew that Matt was probably getting bored with all this shopping business but she wanted her wedding to be perfect. After all she had waited five years and now her dream of becoming Mrs. Matthew Dillon was coming true. In fact it seemed that all the things that she had wanted for so long were finally becoming hers--marrying Matt, having a baby, it was all coming together just the way she had always dreamed. Now, she just had to find a dress and it couldn't be just any dress, it had to be the perfect dress. Ivory in color, long and flowing in silk with just a little lace. She wanted it to be the type of dress that could be passed down from generation to generation of women in their family.

Then she spied it, hanging there as if it were made for her, the perfect dress. Hurrying over to it, Kitty lifted the sleeve and held it out, noting the lace around the cuff and v-neck line. She looked it over for a moment and then hurried back to where Matt seemed to have rooted himself next to the door. "What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Waiting." He replied.

"Well come tell me what you think of this dress!" Kitty said taking his hand in hers.

Matt stayed where he stood though, "I can't, wouldn't that be bad luck?"

Kitty let out an exasperated breath, knowing that he was right as she made her way back over to the dress.

"Hello, may I help you?" A little whithered woman asked. She stood at least a head shorter than Kitty, even in her little high heeled shoes that clicked on the hard wood floor when she walked.

Fingering the sleeve of the dress once more, Kitty replied as she turned to the woman standing behind her. "Oh yes. How much is this dress?"

The woman rattled off a price and Kitty, no stranger to spending money for her dresses, nearly fell over. It was time to do some dickering, she mused to herself. "Do you really need that much for the dress?" She asked.

"Well it is a very special dress, meant to be worn on a special occasion." The little lady said. "It's imported silk you know, all the way from China."

Kitty nodded her head and then said, "Well I don't know of any more special an occasion than a wedding do you?"

The little lady smiled, "Why no dear! Goodness, why didn't you say that you were wanting this dress for a wedding. My you must be marrying a lucky fellow to want to buy such a special dress."

Kitty nodded, "Now, what kind of dealing can we do?"

Half an hour later Kitty came out, a huge smile on her face, to find Matt sitting in front of the dress shop. "What are you doing out here cowboy?"

"Waiting for you. I take you found the dress you wanted?" He asked, pushing up his long frame from his seat.

Kitty smiled and nodded. "Yes, we can pick it up on our way to the train depot tomorrow."

Matt smiled back at her. "What do we need to do now?"

Kitty wiggled her left hand at him and giggled, "I do believe sir, that you asked me to marry you this morning with out the benefit of a ring."

"Well then, I suppose we better go and find one huh?" Matt asked, his tone light and teasing as he placed a hand at the small of her back.

They walked for a ways further until Kitty saw a jewelery store. This was the part of the day that she had been waiting for. They went in and were instantly greeted by a suave looking gentleman.

"Oh good day!" he exclaimed.

Kitty wanted to laugh because she knew this man and before he had become a jewelry clerk he had been a very poor gambler. He still wore his fashionable gambler's garb and kept his thin black mustache trimmed close to his upper lip, not doing anything to aide his already thin lips. "Hello Jerome." She greeted him.

The man stepped back, in shock. "Miss Kitty! Why I declare, I didn't recognize you! Your glowing, darling, glowing."

Kitty smiled at Jerome again. "Thank you Jerome. How's the jewelry business?"

"Oh it is slow Miss Kitty. Why I haven't sold anything for weeks now!" Jerome mused to the lady that had always been so kind to him, even when others hadn't.

"Well I think we can change that Jerome." Kitty said. Then she looked at Matt, "Don't you think so Matt?"

Matt smiled, "Sure."

Jerome spent fifteen minutes showing them the rings in the display cases before Matt sadly shook his head. "I just don't like anything I'm seeing here."

Kitty felt the same way and they left a few minutes later and as they walked down the street Kitty, said to Matt. "Let's just buy the rings at Jonas's store in Dodge."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

The next day Matt and Kitty boarded the train and headed back to Dodge. Kitty was having a hard time containing her excitement and once they were seated, she grabbed Matt's hand, intwining their fingers. "Matt, what do think Doc will say? And Chester?"

Matt remained quiet for a moment as he tried to imagine just what Doc, Chester and all their other friends in Dodge would say when they broke the news of their upcoming marriage. "I don't know Kit. I'm sure Chester will be excited and well Doc, I'm sure he'll say it's the right thing to do."

Doc was waiting at the train depot when the big black engine pulled up, boiling steam, its shrill whistle breaking the peace as it came to a stop. He knew they were to arrive today, both of them, were coming back, together. He had to admit that over the past few years that both Matt and Kitty had become closer to him than any two other people in the world and he would also admit that since he had given Kitty the news of her pregnancy that he had been worried about what would happen once Matt found out about that pregnancy. So now he was standing at the depot, waiting patiently to see just where fate had led the two young people.

He watched as the passengers began to depart the train and soon he saw them. Kitty, looking lovely as always, coming first, the tall dark shadow of Matt's enormous frame behind her. Doc watched as Matt helped Kitty down and then placed his hand at the small of her back as he escorted her down the plank walk that ran the length of the depot. Thinking that everything was well Doc, quickly went to his buggy and headed back to Dodge.

After gathering Kitty's luggage and his carpet bag, Matt found a nice place for Kitty to sit and then went to claim his buckboard. After hitching up his team he drove it around to where he had left Kitty, loaded their bags and then helped her in. He couldn't wait to get back to Dodge and he knew that Kitty couldn't either but the drive back also gave them times to make some plans.

"So…Matt" Kitty said slowly, not sure how to broach the subject on her mind.

"Uhm-hmm."

"Where do you plan on us living once we're married?" Kitty asked.

Matt smiled and then slowly said, "Oh I thought we would just stay at the Long Branch, I thought that it would be a nice place to start out."

Kitty watched Matt's face a look of horror coming to hers. "Matt, no, you honestly don't want to begin our life together at the Long Branch do you?"

Matt chuckled and turned to face Kitty. "Don't you think we already have?" he asked.

Kitty thought about that for a minute and then replied with a smile, touching her abdomen. "I guess your right."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

When they returned to Dodge, it was a bee hive of activity and as soon as Matt had he and Kitty's things unloaded at the Long Branch, Kitty set out to find Doc Adams. The elderly physican was the closest thing that she had to a father and she wanted him to be the first to know about her and Matt's impending marriage.

Doc had returned quickly to Dodge after seeing that Matt and Kitty had really gotten off the train. Now he was sitting in his office, leaning back in his desk chair, his feet propped up on the desk, waiting.

When he heard the knock on the door he nearly fell out of the chair. He righted himself and hollered, "Come on in." he gwaffed.

Kitty stepped in and looked at the other special man in her life, "Hello Doc."

"Kitty. It's nice to see you back." Doc said, rising and taking Kitty's hands.

Kitty however, wrapped her arms around the older man and squeezed. "Oh I missed you Doc!"

This caused the Doc to chuckle and return the hug. "I missed you to honey. So did you confess to Matt about…" Doc left off and let his eyes stray to Kitty's still flat stomach.

Kitty nodded her head and said, "Yes, and Doc, look." She said thrusting her left hand out towards the physician.

Doc's eyes lit up like a gas lantern as he took in the sight of diamond ring that now graced the third finger of Kitty's left hand. "Why…he did it huh? Well, by golly bill." He exclaimed. "I'll be. I'm so happy for you honey. When's the wedding going to be?"

"I don't know yet but it will be soon."

"You didn't go and get married in New Orleans did you?"

"Oh, Doc! You know that I wouldn't get married without you and Chester and Sam there. You're the closest thing to a family that both Matt and I have."

Doc felt a tear coming to his eye so he quickly changed the subject from family. "So where is that big, stubborn lawman at?"

"Oh he took the surrey to the livery. He'll be along in a moment." Kitty replied.

They made small talk while waiting for Matt and when he arrived, Doc suggested that they go over to the Long Branch for a drink and everyone made their way there. They met Chester on the way there and once they were seated at their normal table Matt and Kitty broke the news to the rest of their friends.

Chester was the first to speak after the pair made their announcement. "Well I'll be Mister Dillon, it certainly took ya long enough. Don't ya think?"


	10. Return to Dodge

_So chapter 10...wow. When I started this I never thought it would go this far...honestly. Thanks to MarMar1 for all her insightful reviews and janglyspur for her enthusiasim!_

Chapter 10: I can't think of anything right now

After letting everyone know about their impending marriage, they left out the pregnancy part, everyone would figure that out later if they really thought about it, Matt escorted Kitty upstairs. There was no use hiding their relationship now, and Kitty felt free for the first time since meeting Matt. No longer would they have to keep their relationship and feelings for each other a secret and it was a breath of fresh air to her.

Matt felt the same way, he wasn't sure at first how he would feel but telling Doc, Chester and Sam that he was marrying Kitty had actually made him feel good. After walking Kitty up the stairs, he boldly kissed her at the door and said, "I'll see you later, ok. I want to visit with Doc and Chester."

Kitty nodded her head and looked down again at her left hand, how many times had she heard those very words "I'll see you later Kitty" pass the lips of Matt Dillon? Those words always scared her, made her worry about what was to come, and ask herself, would she see Matt later? Therefore, she spoke.

Matt was about to turn and head down the stairs when Kitty's voice, soft and almost scared, said, "Matt, will I see you later?"

Matt turned and looked at her, taking in her pale skin and bright blue eyes. "I said I would be. What's the matter Kit?"

"What-what if you change your mind Matt?" Kitty asked. That question had been nagging at her since they had returned to Dodge.

Matt run a gentle finger down her cheek and then turned her face up so that they were as much eye to eye as they could be. "I am not going to change my mind Kitty, but until I get someone else here to take over this badge I still have a job to do. I'll be back after my rounds."

Satisfied that he would be back after his rounds, Kitty moved to her dressing table and began to take down her hair. Matt watched for a few moments and then said, "I'll see ya later Kitty."

He went back downstairs to find Doc Adams, Chester and Sam all standing near the end of the bar, the bar room nearly empty now. The three men's heads were close together and they seemed to be in serious converstation and Matt wondered what they were up to. He moved towards the bar, in hopes that he could figure out just what kind of plans he and Kitty's friends were making.

At the bar, Doc, Chester and Sam were in shock. "I can't believe that Mister Dillon and Miss Kitty are gonna get married." Chester said. Ever since he had heard the news he had been in awe ever since.

"I think we're all in a little shock of sorts, Chester." Sam said, his deep voice like velvet. "But the Marshal and Miss Kitty getting married is a fine thing."

"I agree with Sam." Doc said. He wanted to add, it's about damn time to that statement but he kept that to himself.

"Well did Mister Dillon say when he and Miss Kitty were gonna be tyin' the knot?" Chester asked.

"No, all Matt said was that they would be talking to the preacher and that the wedding would be soon." Doc said. "Therefore, we have to get busy planning, the biggest party that Dodge has ever seen."

Sam nodded in agreement. "I'll make sure that the left over champagne that Miss Kitty ordered for that other wedding a few months back is still down in the cellar after we close up tonight."

Chester shook his head with a look of disgust. "Why do you have to go and get that stuff out Sam? It taste awful and gives me a headache."

Doc gwafed, "Well if you didn't drink it like water Chester." Then back to Sam, "Do you know where Kitty put those paper do-dads that she always puts out when someone gets married?"

Sam shook his head in the negative, but said, "I can ask the other girls, they may know where they are."

Doc nodded, "Good, have them do that. I want this to be perfect for Kitty, goodness knows that she has planned enough of these parties that it's about time that someone planned one for her." It was then that Doc heard Matt's footfalls on the stairs and he straightened himself a bit, signaling to the other men that it was time to be quiet or have their plans ruined.

"Doc, Chester, Sam." Matt greeted.

"Matt." Doc returned the greeting. "Get Kitty all settled in for the night?"

"Yeah." Matt said.

"Well I best get things closed up for the night." Sam said.

"Yes, I should get back over to my office as well, never know when someone's going to decide to have a baby or get shot at." Doc said, giving Matt a pointed look.

"I'll go back on over to the office, Mister Dillon." Chester said, slowly making his way, stiff leggedly and slow.

Matt watched his friends for a moment and then made his way back out on the board walk. He began to make his rounds wanting to get done as quickly as possible so that he could go back to Kitty.


	11. Wedding Bells Aringin'

Enjoy

_This chapter is for JanglySpur since she has been waiting FOREVER for me to get it posted. Enjoy! ___

The Best Things

Chapter 11: Wedding Belle's A-ringin'

Disclaimer: No, I don't own 'em. If I did TV Land would play nice and Gunsmoke would be on 5 X's a day like all the other shows.

A week later, after finding a small, run down place outside of Dodge to live, Matt and Kitty were to be married in a very small ceremony in Matt's office. While it was not the wedding that all little girls dreamed off, Kitty was just happy to be taking the next step with Matt and the place they got married mattered very little in the long run. Kitty fussed at her hair a few more times before deciding that it was as good as it was going to get and then she went to step into her dress.

Matt and Chester had both gotten up early that morning and while Chester swept the floor and cleaned things up, Matt had moved his desk and the table that they used to play checkers on out of the way. Then he had sent up a few chairs for their few guests—Chester, Doc, Sam, Bill Pence and a couple of Kitty's girls from the Long Branch were also coming over.

"I'm all finished here Mister Dillon, I think I'll go on over ta the boarding house to change."

"Alright Chester. That sounds like a good idea." Matt said, following his assistant out the door. He then headed over to the hotel and made short work of changing into his dark dress pants and grey coat. He then stepped back across the street to his office and was met by the preacher who was just about to knock on the door. "Oh Marshal, good day!"

"Father Muhlkalley" Matt replied.

"Now Marshal, I was told that you and Miss Russell would like to keep this ceremony short and to the point is that correct?"

"Yes Father."

Matt and the Father were talking when Doc and Chester both showed back up. "Oh, Matt!" Doc said, "Was I supposed to escort Kitty over here?"

Matt shrugged his shoulders as he fidgeted with his tie.

"Oh well I'll just mosey over there then and see if she needs anything." Doc said walking out the door and leaving Matt be for a few minutes. It was a big step for a young man, to get married, Doc thought as he shuffled across the street towards the Long Branch. Kitty was just coming down the stairs as he came through the batwing doors and the sight of her made Doc pause.

"Morning Doc." She greeted taking the last few steps down onto the bar room floor. "Doc?"

"Oh Kitty, honey, you look absolutely beautiful!" Doc exclaimed, going to her and taking her hands. "The glow about you is brighter than I've seen on any woman."

Kitty blushed and leaned down to kiss Doc on the cheek. "Oh Curly, you flirt."

"May I escort you across the street?"

"You may." Kitty said.

When Doc and Kitty arrived at the Marshal's office the Father, Sam, Bill, Chester and Matt were all there waiting, and all stood when Doc brought the beautiful red head through the door.

"Are we ready to begin Marshal Dillon?" Father Muhlkalley asked.

Matt looked at Kitty and she nodded in the affirmative. He took her hand and they went to stand before the Father and the ceremony began.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join together in holy matrimony, Matthew Dillon and Kathleen Russell. Marriage is a beautiful thing and when these two young people came to me to ask me about marrying them I couldn't have more pleased, however, it is now that I need to ask, are their any objections to this marriage?"

The room remained quiet.

Father Muhlkalley continued, "Very well then. Matthew and Kathleen if you could please join hands and then Matthew, please repeat after me, "I Matthew take thee Kathleen."

"I Matthew take thee Kathleen." Matt said, almost wanting to laugh, he hadn't be refered to as Matthew since he was a child and well no one he knew called Kitty Kathleen. He was brought back to the present when he heard Father Muhlkalley's voice.

"To be my lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part."

"To be my lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part." Matt repeated solemnly looking into Kitty's beautiful blue eyes that were beginning to look a little wet.

"Now Kathleen, please do as Matthew and repeat after me, "I Kathleen take thee Matthew."

Kitty doing her best to keep from crying, said, "I Kathleen take thee Matthew."

"To be my lawfully wedded husband, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part."

Kitty let the tears go then and repeated after the Father, "To be my lawfully wedded husband, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part." She ended with a small sob.

Farther Muhlkalley looked at the small group of people seated before him and at the tall Marshal and slender red head before he continued, "Then, by the power invested in me by the state of Kansas, I now pronounce you man and wife. Matthew, you may kiss your bride."

Matt gathered Kitty into his arms, wiped the tears from under her eyes and softly said, "Gladly." Before he bent his heads and took her lips with his own in a searing kiss that garnered catcalls, whistles, clapping and laughter from the group that was gathered for the ceremony.

When they separated, Matt whisphered to Kitty so that only she heard, "I love you Mrs. Dillon."

Kitty smiled and as the tears streamed down her face replied, "I love you to Marshall Dillon."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

Later, after the marriage license had been signed and Matt and Kitty had been given some time to be alone, the whole town gathered at the Long Branch for a huge celebration in honor of the day. When Matt and Kitty stepped into the bar room it erupted into cheers, whistles and clapping and Matt heard several "Well it's about time." comments.

He had to admit that it felt good to be able to claim Kitty as his openly in public instead of always hiding his true feelings behind the mask of unemotion that was US Marshall Matt Dillon.

Kitty was feeling joyous herself and enjoying the celebration that was being held in her and Matt's honor but she was also getting tired and told Matt so. "Matt, can we go and sit down, I'm getting tired."

"Sure." Matt lead her to a fairly uncrowded table and pulled out a chair for her, then sat down with her. "It sure has been quite a day, huh?"

"Yeah, it was." Kitty said, grabbing Matt's hand. "But it was the one of the best days of my life Matt."

"Mine too Kitty, mine too."


	12. Honeymoonin'

_So from the reviews I've recieved it seems everyone enjoyed chapter 11. Wonderful! :) That makes me so happy!_

_Hopefully, chapter 12 will make you just as happy. Wink, wink._

Chapter 12

Honeymoonin'

Kitty stayed at the table that Matt had put her at for the rest of the evening, visiting with those who chose to stop by and wish her and Matt well. Even Ethel Pry stopped for a moment to offer her congratulations which suprised Kitty to no end. Miss Pry in the Long Branch? Miss Pry offering her congratulations to her and Matt? Once she left Kitty said to Matt, "That women just never ceases to amaze me you know?" She shook her head slightly and smiled.

Matt smiled and took a drink of the beer that sat before him, "Yeah she is definately one that keeps you on your toes."

They sat talking and enjoying the company of their friends for another couple hours until Kitty leaned over and whisphered to Matt. "Let's say we go home, huh, cowboy?"

Thinking that was a fine idea, Matt didn't reply to Kitty and rather stood up and called for silence in the room. Once the well wishers were quiet he pulled Kitty up to his side and said, "We'd like to thank you all for coming and we'd also like to thank Doc, Sam and Chester for their planning this party for us, but..." he didn't get to finish as Kitty cut him off.

"Its time for us to go home." Kitty said. "It's been a long day, however, the rest of you are welcome to stay as long as Bill and Sam are willing to keep the place open."

A cheer went up from the crowd and as Matt and Kitty walked out the door, Kitty was sure that nary a person in the room even noticed that they had walked out the door. Once out the door, Matt helped Kitty into the buckboard that he had rented and went and parked there a little while earlier and they headed towards the outskirts of Dodge. Looking up at the night sky Kitty commented softly, "They sure are pretty tonight Matt."

Matt pulled back slightly on the reins and gave a soft whoa as the two horses pulling it came to a stop. Then he turned slightly in his own seat and using the arm that was already laying behind Kitty's shoulders, pulled her closer towards him. "They're not as pretty as you Kitty."

Kitty giggled slightly, and then turned towards Matt. "Who taught you to talk all these pretties?"

After a short drive, Matt and Kitty arrived at their home, their home. The words gave Kitty a tingle down her back every time she heard if and each time she loved them it more. Once there, Matt pulled right up to the front door and then set the brake before going around and reaching up to help Kitty down.

Kitty hadn't expected to feel Matt's strong hands around her growing waist and him lifting her up as if she weighed no more than feather. As soon as she was out of the buckboard, Matt put one arm under her knees, kissed her and swung her around before making his way to the front door of their house.

Once inside the house, Matt let Kitty slowly slide down from his arms to the floor. He dropped his head down so that they were nose to nose and eye to eye and just held her there for a few moments before saying, "Get ready for bed Mrs. Dillon, I'll be in as soon as I get the horses taken care of."

Kitty watched Matt walk out the door and then slowly walked into the bedroom, the whole time trying to ignore the slight twinge that she had been feeling in her back since she had asked Matt to find them a place to sit at the reception. Tonight was going to be perfect, it had to be.

Matt was sure that horses had never been turned loose faster than the two he put up that night. He had been waiting since their wedding ceremony earlier that morning to be alone with his bride and it seemed that that time would never come. He quickly unhooked the horses from their traces and led them to their stalls where he fed them each a bait of oats and a forkful of hay. Blowing out the lantern he shut the barn door and headed back towards the house.

When he reached the house, he found Kitty already in bed, turned on her side. Quietly, he sat down on the chair and pulled off his boots and then removed the rest o f his clothes. He climbed into bed behind Kitty and wrapped his arms around her, placing one large hand on their sleeping child.

Kitty turned her face towards him and he kissed her long and deep. "I didn't think you had waited for me."

"Oh I was waiting, today was just a big day and I've been feeling a little more tired lately." Kitty replied, pulling herself out of Matt's arms and sitting against the headboard.

Matt sat up as well and rubbed Kitty's belly through her gown. "Have ya talked to Doc about it?"

Kitty shook her head no.

Matt gave her a look of deep concern before he said, "Well as much as I wanted to do some honeymoonin' tonight maybe we shouldn't."

Kitty gave him a look of horror and then said, "No! Matt, I'm pregnant not an invalid! Now, come on, it's our wedding night and we're only going to have one."

Later that night, Matt and Kitty lay together, the cold winter air in the room cooling their heated skin. Kitty was feeling the twinges in her back again and she shifted uncomfortably, which disturbed a half sleeping Matt. He grumbled incoherently and then pulled the quilts back up over them, wrapping his arms around Kitty. "G'night darlin'." He said.

"Good night Matt." Kitty said before closing her eyes and telling her mind to go to sleep.

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

The next morning Matt woke just as the sun was coming up to an empty bed. Sitting up in bed he grabbed his clothes and quickly pulled them on, then he went down stairs. There he found Kitty wrapped in a quilt sitting by the fire. Her face was pale and when he laid his lips against her cheek her skin was cool and clammy. He shook her gentely and said, "Kitty, Kitty, honey, wake up."

"Matt?" Kitty asked groggily. "Matt, something isn't right Matt. You need to go and get Doc, right away."

A million different thoughts run through Matt's mind as he rode into Dodge to get Doc. The short trip that usually only took a few minutes by horse, seemed to take hours and once Matt reached the Doctor's office he took the steps 3 at a time. He burst through the door and Doc who was just enjoying his first cup of coffee for the morning was nearly bowled over. "Matt! My god man, what's the matter?"

"It's Kitty. Doc, there's something wrong with her. She-she says that you need to come right away."

Doc put down the half a cup of coffee as soon as Matt started talking and began pulling on his heaviest coat, loading up his bag. He was ready to go as soon as Matt finished telling him what was going on. "Matt, I want you to go home, I'll be out to your house as soon as I can get there in my buggy."

Matt nodded and run back down the steps to his lathered horse. He stepped on and wheeled him around and was gone as quickly as he had came.

When he returned home he found Kitty back in bed, curled into a fetal position. Her hair was wet with perspiration and as he moved towards the bed. "Kitty, honey, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know Matt. I keep having these terrible pains in my back. Is, is Doc coming?"

"He'll be here shortly." Matt said.

When Doc arrived a short while later he found a distraught Matt Dillon and a sleeping, but restless, Kitty; he sent Matt out of the room and gentely woke the young woman up.

"Kitty, honey, it's Doc." He said softly.

Kitty groggily woke and looked at her older friend. "Doc, something terrible is wrong."

"No, your going to be fine and so is your baby." Doc said, patting her hand. "Now you just lay quiet and I'll take a look at you, see what's wrong here."

Downstairs, Matt decided to make some coffee and when he filled the pot he found that his hands were shaking so hard that he almost couldn't make it to the stove to put it on. Finished with his task he sat down heavily into his chair. He was at a loss, for the first time in his life, Matt Dillon did not know what to do. He was still sitting with his head in his hands when Doc came downstairs.

Seeing Matt sitting like that was suprising to Doc, he had rarely seen the younger man show much emotion before. However, he was sure that Matt wouldn't look like his whole world had come crashing down once he told him what was going on. In fact when Matt had first came to get him he had been scared, all the things the other man that had told him had made Doc think that Kitty was having a miscarriage but after examining her he found that she was just experiencing some very normal back pain but to be on the safe side he was going to make her stay in bed for a few days. He had also told her that he suspected that there was more than one baby in there.

Kitty's eyes had gone wide when Doc had uttered the word "twins" to her. It seemed that the past 4 months had been a wave of emotions and it seemed that having one baby was going to be as much excitement as she could stand and now Doc was talking that there were two babies growing inside her.

"Matt." Doc said, laying a hand on the other man's slumped shoulder.

"Is she gonna be ok Doc?" Matt asked, not looking up.

"She's going to be fine Matt. What Kitty was experiencing earlier is normal and it probably won't be the first or the last time. If it happens again just make her a little heating pad or rub it a little for her."

"Thanks Doc. There's some coffee over there if you want it, I'm goin' up to check on Kitty." Matt said, before standing and heading up the stairs. He went as quietly as he could and when he opened the door, Kitty was sitting up in bed. She smiled at him and patted the bed beside her. "Did you talk to Doc?"

Matt nodded. "Uhmum, Doc said that what you were experiencing was normal, and that I could give you a something warm on your back if it got to hurtin to bad."

"Is that all he told you?" Kitty asked.

Matt nodded as he sat down next to her and took her hand. "Is there somethin' really wrong that he just didn't tell me about?"

"No. Oh, no, Matt, Doc thinks that we're going to have twins." Kitty said.


	13. Welcome to the World

_Hello friends. This story is going to do a little fast forwarding say up to 9 months of pregnancy...its time to meet the little ones! Sorry for that little bit of trouble back in chapter 12, but hey the story writes its self and that is where is chose to go. Thanks to all that reviewed!_

Chapter 13: Welcome to the World

March had came in like a lamb and went out like a lion, and now Kansas which had been fairly dry over the winter months was seeing a torrent of spring showers and Kitty Russell Dillon had spent the last two months on strict rest-- Doc Adam's orders. She remembered that conversation in late February when Doc had decided that due to her advanced pregnancy and the fact that she was carrying twins that she needed to stay off her feet. Now she was sitting in the front room of the home that she and Matt had slowly been building over the past few months, sewing, something that she hadn't done since she was a young woman working in the saloons. Matt was out in the barn or somewhere about as he had officially retired from his duties as Marshall in January and was now working on building his own little Kansas cattle empire. Kitty, however still worried. Worried that one day Matt would change his mind and go back to being a lawman and leave her and then there was the constant worry that somone would come looking for him still, even though he was retired. Sighing, Kitty looked out the window into the falling rain and set her chair into motion once more.

In the barn, Matt Dillon was hard at work on a project that he had started several months ago, almost as soon as he had found out he was going to be a father and for a man that was used to being on his own and having no ties to anyone, a lot had changed for him the past six or so months. First he had learned that he was going to be a father, then he had gotten married to the one woman that held his heart and then he learned that he was going to be a father to not just one child but twins. When he had learned that it had latterly knocked him out cold and to hear Kitty and Doc tell it he had hit the floor like someone had clubbed him over the head. However when he came around again, the shock worn off, he was really happy. The knowledge had also lead him to begin the work on a second craddle and with Kitty nearing the time that she should have the babies, he was worried that he wouldn't get it done. Therefore, he had left her alone in the house for the past two hours to work in the barn and give himself time to think and prepare. He was going to be a father, a father to two people who were going to be helpless against the cruelty of the world. Those two people were going to be totally dependent on him and Kitty and it was scaring the living daylights out of him.

As April moved on and the rains fell over Kansas, turning the ground to mush and greening the grasses of the plains, Kitty slowly grew larger with each passing day and longed for the time when her little ones would make thier appearnance into the world. She had slowly preparing for them both, in fact the other night Matt had shown up in the house with the sweetest suprise, a set of craddles that he had made himself. He had set them up in the spare room upstairs and then helped Kitty place the quilts that she had ordered from San Francisco in them. The last few months Matt and Kitty and most of Dodge had been speculating what the babies would be, boys or girls or one of both. Matt was secretly hoping for boys but always told Kitty that he didn't care what they had, while Kitty did the same only she was hoping for little girls. Doc Adams was going for one of each and Chester figured they would both be babies, who really cared if they were boys or girls.

Towards the end of April, Kitty was really feeling like these little ones were never going to come and made that exact comment to Matt one night while she sat at the kitchen table and watched him helplessly trying to cook. "Matt I don't know how much longer I can live like this. I mean I feel like one of the cows you have out their in the pasture."

"Oh come on now, Kitty your absolutely beautiful. As for how much longer you'll live like this, last time Doc was here he said it wouldn't be much longer. He figured your due date was close to the beginning of May."

"Well I don't know Bess Roniger has done this EIGHT times Matt. Please after these two are born, let's not do this again for a while." Kitty said with a laugh and a pat to her bulging middle.

Matt laughed too. "So you still haven't given me any names."

"You haven't been to forth coming either with names." Kitty chided him. "I think Ella and Emma are nice names though."

"Hmm." Matt said, coming over next to her and pulling up a chair and having a seat. "What if we have little boys?"

"Hmm, I like Matthew or James."

Matt laughed and shook his head. "I'm not sure we need two Matt Dillon's in the world."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

The days continued on with Kitty's middle expanding more and her life becoming more and more uncomfortable. Today was especially so as it was turning out to be a balmy early May day. Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, she wondered where Matt was. He had said earlier that he was going out to work on getting a field started but that he would be in at noon for lunch. Kitty looked at the clock, it was eleven thirty. Kitty hoped that Matt turned up soon.

Out in the fields, Matt Dillon was finding that he was wasn't to sure that he was meant to be a farmer and he wondered what Kitty would say to him going back into law once the babies were born. Then he stopped himself, no there was no way that he could go back to that life now. He was about to become a father and thinking about law enforcement was not the thing to be doing. He would just look at ranching, maybe when the herds showed up he would look at buying some more cattle and maybe some horses as well. Looking at his poorly plowed field, he unhooked the horse from it's traces and headed towards the house. It was almost lunch time and he should check on Kitty.

When Matt arrived back at the house he first stopped at the barn and left the horse and then washed up at the pump outside. For the first of May it was certainly a hot enough day and the cool water felt good. Walking into the house he called out, "Kitty?"

"I'm upstairs Matt!" she called back down.

Matt found her upstairs in bed, sweat pouring from her body and her breathing somewhat heavy. "Goodness honey, what have you been doing?"

Through clenched teeth Kitty in no matter of words told Matt, "I haven't been doing ANYTHING honey, but I suggest you go get Doc unless you want to deliver your children."

Matt didn't say anything else. He just run back down the stairs, jumped on Buck bareback and headed into Dodge like the devil was on his tail. When he arrived at Doc Adam's office he was sorely disappointed to find the doctor was not there. Running down the street he went first to his old office, hoping that Doc was there enjoying a game of checkers with Chester or their new marshal. When he found that place empty his next stop was the Longbranch.

He must have looked like a Wildman when he run through the door because when Sam saw him the other man took a step back. "Well hello Mr. Dillon. We didn't expect to see you in here today."

"Sam," Matt said, allowing himself to take a couple deep breaths, " Where's Doc?"

"I'm not sure. Is there something wrong?" the kindly bar tender asked. He knew his former boss was getting close to her due date and he wondered if maybe that wasn't the reason for the former Marshal's wild rampage into the saloon.

"Kitty's havin' the babies. If you see Doc, send him to my place right away. I-I gotta get back out there." Matt said, before running back out the door, and across the street where he hopped back up on Buck and hit a high lope out of town.

Back at the Dillon homestead Kitty was in the throes of labor pain and wondering where in the hell her husband and Doc were at. Feeling the sweat running down her face and neck and the deep contractions in her belly she let her head fall back against the pillows and hoped that someone showed up quick, she didn't want to have these babies on her own. Then she chided herself. She knew very well from all the times that she had helped Doc that babies usually weren't born quickly and she instantly began to try and calm herself, telling herself that she would be ok and that Doc and Matt would be there soon. Over and over again she told herself those words until she heard a noise in the yard and then footsteps on the stairs. When she saw Matt she began to cry and raising her hands to him she said, "Where's Doc?"

Kneeling down beside the bed where she lay, Matt squeezed her hand. "It's all right, Doc wasn't there right now but I asked Sam to send him as soon as possible."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMMKMKMKMKMKMKMK

When Doc Adam's showed up over an hour later he found Kitty in pain and Matt in panic because he didn't know what to do. If it weren't for having to help Kitty get through the birthing Doc would have been tempted to sit and ponder the look of total loss that was now gracing the face of former Marshal Matt Dillon's face. Briskly, walking in the room, Doc said. "Alright, Matt I want you to go down stairs and boil up some water." Then he lifted the sheet that was covering Kitty and nodded before swipping his mustache.

Matt gave Doc an odd look before standing, kissing Kitty on the head and leaving the room. Doc watched the exchange and then moved forward, "Alright Kitty, how are we doing?"

Her blue eyes large, Kitty looked at Doc and said, "How in the hell do you think I am Doc? I'm in pain and I just want them OUT!!"

Chuckling Doc patted her hand and said, "In time honey, in time. Your not fully dialated yet and we have to wait for that to happen before we can worry about meeting the little ones." Then he took a chair and sat down, sitting very close to the head of the bed so that he could talk to Kitty. "Now, young lady, how long have you been having pains?"

"All morningggggggg." Kitty said as another pain took her.

"Umhm." Doc said. "And when did your water break?"

"I don't know Doc…sometime after I sent Matt into town to get you. I went to, well you know and it broke."

Doc grunted again and raised the sheet. Noting that Kitty was almost fully dialated he took her hand. "Your going to be fine honey, just lay here and try to relax, I'm going to go check on Matt."

Downstairs, Matt was trying to boil water and not having much success with it. His hands were shaking and he couldn't seem to think straight. Leaning over the table, he closed his eyes and took two deep breaths.

"She's going to be fine Matt." Doc said, laying a gentle hand on his friends arm. "Do you have that hot water ready?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah." Then he leaned his head toward the stove and the boiling pot.

Doc was just getting what he needed ready when he heard a scream from upstairs. Quickly, he said, "Matt, you bring that upstairs in a few minutes!" Then he hustled himself up the stairs and to Kitty. Checking under the sheet he saw that it was time for the ball to open and Matt and Kitty's children to make their entrance into the world. Moving towards Kitty's head, Doc took her hand and said, "Ok Kitty it's time to get to work. When you feel the need now, I want you to push and push hard."

This went on for two hours and when a concerned Matt asked what was going on, Doc snapped. "That women in there married an ox, that is what is going on! I figured this was going to be a hard labor but I didn't think that it would be this hard. Now get out of here, so I can work."

Matt went back downstairs and continued to pace. He had tried a couple of times in the past couple of hours to go up there and sit by Kitty's side but both times he had been run out, first by Kitty who had threatened to do unimaginable things to him if he ever came near her again and the second time by Doc, telling him that he was in the way. Then he heard it, faint at first but then stronger, the wail of a baby. Quickly turning on his heel, Matt run up the stairs.

Doc was just wrapping up the first baby when Matt reappeared again. Thrusting the baby towards Matt, Doc said, "Here, hold your son and try to clean him up a bit while we help number two join his brother."

Matt did as he was told, as best he could with his large, shaking, fumbling hands and he waited until almost two minutes later he heard the sound of baby number two making as loud an entrance as number one.

"It's a boy!" he heard Doc holler before he brought him over to where Matt was standing with the first little boy. He looked him over before saying, "You did all right."

"Matt? Doc?" Kitty called.

"You better take that baby over to it's mother now while I get this other feller cleaned up."

Kitty had pushed herself up as much as she could and was waiting when Matt came over with the first baby. "Let me see him Matt."

Kneeling down, Matt put the baby into Kitty's arms and realized then and there that these were the best things in life, a home, a family, and the woman he loved all together. "I love you Kitty." He said.

"I love you too, Matt. Now what are we going to name our sons?" Kitty said tiredly.

"I don't know, I thought you had it all figured out!" Matt said. He was about to say more when Doc came back over with baby number two.

"Alright, Kitty, here's the other boy."

"Now Matt, I want you to help me get all this stuff downstairs and maybe give me a shot of Kitty's good Napolean brandy that I know that she keeps around here. Let mama and babies here have a little privacy."

Matt nodded and kissed his wife. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

"Ok Matt." Kitty said softly. She was already getting ready to feed the boys who were rooting around at her breast.

Downstairs, Doc washed his hands and looked over at Matt. "Their fine boys Matt."

Matt nodded. "Yeah." He said noting that he was suddenly choked up.

"But," Doc said, "I can let myself out. You best get back upstairs to that wife and children of yours."

Matt didn't say another word, he just turned on his heel and took the stairs two at a time, back to his wife and children.


	14. Babies

_Thank you for all the nice reviews!! Enjoy! __J_

Chapter 14: Babies

Disclaimer: I don't own these charachters except for the babies, those little fellars are mine!

After the babies were cleaned up, Doc sent Matt from the room. "Matt, why don't you go on down stairs and have yourself a cup of coffee so I can finish up with Kitty here."

Matt just nodded and somewhat wearily made his way back downstairs. Who knew that a woman having babies would be so hard on a man? He put the coffee pot on the stove and let it boil hard before he poured himself a cup and sat down at the table.

Upstairs, Doc did another examination of Kitty and then looked over the boys once more. "I think these are the biggest twins that I've seen in a while Kitty."

That made Kitty laugh, "Oh Doc, I think your just saying that." She lovingly ran a hand over one of the babies heads.

"Do you and Matt have any idea what your going to name these two fellas?" Doc asked, picking up the other boy.

Kitty shook her head, "No. We talked about it a little bit and all I got out of Matt was that he didn't think that there needed to be two Matt Dillon's in the world."

Doc chuckled. "Oh. He could have a point but don't tell him that I said that. So if Matt is out of the question for a name do you have any other ideas?"

"No. I figured once they came that we could think of something." Kitty said, placing a kiss on the boy she held's head.

"Well, just let me know when you think of something so I can put it on the birth certificates. Let see here, they were born at about 12:30 AM, so that means that their birthdate would be May 3." Doc said, writing it down in his little book where he kept such things as births and deaths recorded. "Well don't wait to long to name them Kitty, such things shouldn't be waited for."

"Yes Doc."

"Oh and Kitty, the other thing I wanted to talk to you about, you probably won't be able to nurse both of these fellars. They're big boys so I suggest you nurse them on the bottle, just mix a little sweet water and goats milk."

Kitty nodded. "Ok Doc."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

A week later Matt and Kitty still hadn't named their babies and were reffering to them as "the boys" for the time being. Sitting and rocking one while she sat in the rocking chair and rocking the other in his cradle with her foot Kitty sat with them both on a beautiful May afternoon, just looking at them. Finally she said to no one in particular, "I've got it!" and as soon as both the babies were asleep she went out onto the front porch and called to Matt who was working in the barn. "Matt! Matt, come on up to the house for a moment will you?"

Matt hurried to the house, worried that something was wrong but when he reached the porch Kitty had a beautiful smile on her face. "I know what to name the boys Matt, what to you think of Joseph Adam and Jesse Matthew?"

Matt considered the names for a moment and then said "I think they'll work."

"Good." Kitty said, smiling up at her husband and the love of her life.

"So how will we tell them apart now? It was kinda easy when we were just calling them babies." Matt said looking down at the boys, running a finger gently over each of their heads.

"Well you see Jesse has that little birthmark there on his head and Joey doesn't." Kitty said softly. "Doc says that it'll get easier Matt, to tell them apart as time goes on."

Three weeks after their birth, Matt and Kitty made their first trip into town to see everyone and introduce them to their sons. When they arrived, Chester was the first to greet them.

"Wall hello Mr. Dillon!" he cried coming up to the wagon as Matt pulled it to a stop near Doc's stairs.

"Hello Chester!" Kitty smiled and waved at her dear friend.

"Halo Miss Kitty, or should I call ya Mrs. Dillon now?" Chester asked, somewhat confused.

"No, Chester, Miss Kitty is fine."

"Hello Chester." Matt said, hoping down from the wagon and shaking the younger mans hand. "How have you been?"

"Oh, Mister Dillon, don't tell Mr. Wilson that I said this, but he sure ain't the marshal that you were."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that Chester, but as you can see, I've got Kitty and my boys to think about now."

"I know Mister Dillon but it sure would be nice if you came back." Chester said, hope in his brown eyes.

Matt moved around to the other side of the wagon and helped Kitty down and then helped her get the boys out of the wagon. After handing Jesse to Kitty and taking Joey into his own arms, Matt turned back to Chester, "It just won't work Chester. I have a responsablity to Kitty and my boys now."

Chester nodded, sadly and then stood up a little taller to look at the child that Matt held, "Why he's a spittin' image of you, Mister Dillon!"

Matt puffed up a little at that comment. "Thank you Chester. I appreciate that."

Watching Chester hobble down the street, Matt slowly followed Kitty up the steps to Doc's office where they were taking the boys to get their first check-up since being born.

When they reached the top of the steps the door opened and Doc Adams appeared. "Oh Matt! Kitty! I thought I recognized those foot steps, come in, come in."

"Hello Doc." Kitty said, her skirts swishing around her as she stepped through the door with Jesse.

"Hello Doc, how are ya?" Matt greeted as he followed his wife into the doctor's office.

"Oh I'm fine." Doc gwaffed as he looked into the bundle that Kitty held. "So have you two named these children yet?"

"We certainly have Doc. Meet Joseph Adam Dillon," Kitty said nodding towards the baby in her arms, "And Jesse Matthew Dillon."

"Adam huh? That wouldn't be after a certain old country saw bones you know would it?" Doc said with a smile.

Kitty laughed, "Oh Doc, you aren't a saw bones, and yes Adam is in honor of you."

"Well lets lay these fellars out here so I can get a look at them." Doc said.

Kitty laid Joey down on the table and then turned to Matt, "You give me Jesse and then you can go and visit with Chester and check things out."

"Oh, ok." Matt said, a little surprised. He handed the baby over to Kitty and then said, "Are you sure? I can stay here."

"No you go on, that will give me and Doc a chance to catch up. I'll meet you over at Del Monico's in an hour or so." Kitty said.

Matt grinned at her, "Ok. I'll see you later then." He kissed Kitty and set off down the stairs again.

Once Matt was gone, Doc said to Kitty, "I don't know what you did to that man Kitty but he sure has changed from the Matt Dillon that I used to know."

Kitty smiled. "Marriage and family tend to settle men, I guess."

Doc laughed. "Alright, let's look at these two fellers." Doc said putting on his glasses and unwrapping Joey first and then Jesse. He looked them both over and listed to their hearts and lungs and when he finished his examination he wrapped them both back up and laid them together on the small cot under the window surrounded by pillows so they could continue their nap.

Kitty and Doc sat then and caught up on gossip and were on their second cup of coffee when they heard the shots in the street below and Kitty felt the familiar stab of fear go straight through her heart.


	15. Fear

Enjoy

_Enjoy. ___

Chapter 15: Fear

Disclaimer: No, they aren't mine. I just like to play with them.

Matt and Chester were just headed into the Long Branch when Matt felt it, those little pricks at the back of his neck that he had felt so many times before as a law man. Those little pricks were usually followed by someone calling him out or worse yet, the sound of a gun shot.

"DILLON!" Joel McMahon shouted from the street. He would know the law man anywhere and after what he did to his brother, he wanted the satisfaction of seeing the law man's eyes when he killed him.

Matt stopped and slowly turned around his hands raised. "I'm Dillon, but I'm not armed." He said to the man pointing the gun at his chest.

At his side, Chester said, "I wish you'd a kept wearin' a gun Mister Dillon. I just knew this was gonna happen."

Matt watched as the man in front of him got a funny look on his face before he sputtered and said, "Where's your gun Dillon? And yer badge?"

"I'm retired mister." Matt said calmly. He was hoping that if he could keep this man talking it would give someone else the opportunity to take him down and keep any gunplay from happening. However, he was sad to see that Marshall Wilson was no where to be found.

"Retired!" McMahon bellowed. "Y-you can't be retired! I cain't kill an unarmed man and I have to kill you."

"Why do you have to kill me, mister?" Matt again questioned calmly, easily putting the mask of a lawman on his face while his guts were twisting into a knot.

"You got my brother, Jake hanged. Jake didn't steal them hosses or kill that woman." McMahon said.

Matt paused for a moment, running his mind over the man outlaws that he had taken down before he paused, Jake McMahon, he had been hanged shortly before Matt had retired for stealing horses and beating a woman so badly that she had died as a result. Carefully, Matt said, "Mister, all the evidence pointed to your brother and I didn't hang him a judge and a jury did."

"Still," McMahon said, his voice seeping with anger, nervousness, and despair, "You was the one that took him in, you-you gave him to that judge and jury."

"I was just doing my duty." Matt said. He was really hoping that he could keep this kid talking as he had seen Chester carefully go into the Long Branch and now he was carefully coming out of the alley, the shot gun that Sam kept behind the bar in his hands. All Matt had to do was keep the kid with the gun pointed at him talking and give Chester a chance to take him down.

"Duty." McMahon sneered. "It was murder, all ya lawmen always talkin' high and mighty about upholdin' the law and you're just a bigga murders as the next man."

Matt shook his head, while keeping his eye on Chester who was now making his way right up behind the young man in front of him. Luck for Matt, he had been able to keep the young would be outlaw's concentration fully on him so that Chester would be able to pull off what he was attempting.

"Alright mister." Chester said, poking the shot gun into the other man's ribs. "I think you can just throw that pistol out there in front of you."

McMahon didn't listen to that though, instead he tried to turn and was going to fire on Chester and as he turned he tripped over his own feet, pulling the trigger and sending a wild shot into the air. When he fell to the ground, Chester kept his shot gun pointed at him until Matt made his way over, pulling the other man up by the scruff of the neck, like a pup instead of a man. "Alright youngster, I think maybe you can just go over and cool off in the jail. Chester, get his gun and turn that into Marshal Wilson would ya?"

Kitty was still up visiting in Doc's office and heard the shot. The sound was enough to make her eyes go wide and the familiar stab of fear shoot through her heart. She knew Matt was out there somewhere and also knowing Matt, he had a tendancy to find trouble. Without a thought to her two sons, sleeping soundly on Doc's cot, she opened the door and ran down the stairs. The fear of what she would find when she reached the street gripping her heart as she raced towards the sound of the shot.

When Kitty reached the street she saw Matt, roughly hauling another man towards the Marshal's office while Chester kept a shot gun on him. Relief poured over her and she ran towards her husband.

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMK

After ensuring that young Joel McMahon was locked up, Matt turned back towards his wife who while she was realived that Matt was ok, was also on the verge of anger.

Alone in the marshal's office, Kitty ranted, "Matthew Dillon! You could have been killed! Don't you even give a thought to the fact that you have a wife and family to take care of now?"

Matt grinned at her, an enduring little boy smile. "Oh Kitty. Will you just calm down?" He said, pulling her close to him, wrapping his long arms around her. "I wasn't going to be killed, that boy in there was scared and besides I don't honestly think that he would have shot an unarmed man."

"You don't know that Matt! Why what if Chester hadn't been able to get around behind him with that shot gun and besides I heard a shot and I expected to come down to the street and see you wounded or worse, dead." Kitty said.

This caused Matt to laugh. "Oh Kitty! That shot was a wild one that went off when the kid tripped over his own feet trying to turn on Chester. I was in no danger. Now will you just calm down, you know it's not good for you to get so upset." Then he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her tighter and pressing a kiss to her blazing red hair.

Snuggled into Matt's chest, Kitty said with a muffled voice, " I know Matt." She was enjoying the closeness of Matt and the strength of his body when the realization hit her that her children were not with her. Pulling herself away, her eyes wild, she said, "Oh my goodness! The boys! Their still at Doc's!"

Chuckling to himself more than anything Matt said, "Well lets go get 'em."

MKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKMKM

They hurried back to Doc's office and found Doc with little Joey in his arms. "Well," he huffed, "it's about time you two come back. Are you going to make it a habit to just galavant off and leave these children unattended?" While his voice was teasing his two dear friends his heart was heavy. While Matt and Kitty had been gone he had done some more checking over of the babies that were in his care and he didn't know how he was going to tell the two people that were so very dear to him that their one little boy may not have long to live unless he could figure out just exactly what was wrong with him.

Kitty rushed to pick up Jesse and while she held him close she looked at Doc with fire in her eyes. "You very well know Doc, that I would never leave my children unattended if it wasn't an emergency." She kissed Jesse and then Joey.

Doc laughed, before handing Joey back to Matt. "I know Kitty. I know."

Later after they left, Doc thought about all the times that gunshots had been fired in the streets of Dodge and Kitty had rushed out to find Matt laying in the street, wounded or banged up. Then he thought of all the men that had died in the streets of Dodge because they had tried to take on the formidable Matt Dillon and lost.

_I don't like this ending so if you have suggestions on ways to change it and make it better, throw them my way. Next chapter it's the boys 3__rd__ birthday…_


	16. Happy Ending

The Best Things

Chapter 16

_3 years later..._

It was Joey and Jesse's third birthday and for Matt and Kitty it was a day of overwhelming joy, because at one time they had been told that Joey wouldn't live to see this day. Doc had been the first to notice the difference between Joey and his brother and other babies his age. Then it had been several trips to St. Louis and New Orleanes to see specialists before it had been determined that they just really didn't know what was wrong with little Joey Dillon but it was forseeable that he would be dead by the ripe old age of three. However, Matt and and Kitty were celebrating today not only their son's third birthday but the fact that Joey was still with them and seemingly doing well. Even, Doc who continued to see him at least once a month, said that Joey seemed to be a miracle, and other than the fact that he was a little slower developmentally than Jesse, it seemed that he would be just fine.

Doc was there to share the day with them and as Kitty bustled around the house, cooking and making party preparations, he looked over at Matt and said. "She sure is a fine woman Matt and you've got yourself a fine pair of boys."

Matt nodded, "I know Doc. I've got all the best things in life right here."

_Well folks this seemed to be the best place to close this one for now. That doesn't mean I won't pick it back up later but as of now it is done. Thanks for reading!_


End file.
